Philadelphia City Council unanimously passed expansion of their Longtime Owner-Occupants of Residential Properties tax relief program Thursday.

This is the third legislative piece Council has discussed and passed since the start of 2019 regarding property tax relief. Some residents across the city, notably in lower-income areas, have seen their home values spike due to new construction and re-assessments.

Philadelphia’s City Council recently passed four major bills in addition to the anticipated Fair Work Week legislation. These measures give more rights to tenants, attempt to resolve trespassing ordinances on occupancy disputes, and raised the minimum wage for city workers and contractors.

Most of these bills were introduced in June or during the fall session. With council meeting once more in the 2018 calendar, passage becomes increasingly important as next year brings elections.

Philadelphia’s Committee on Licenses and Inspections passed a bill creating guidelines for regulating and inspecting lead paint in schools Monday.

First introduced by Councilman Mark Squilla (D-District 1), the measure establishes a new certificate of inspection for these buildings and outlines how these should take place. It also recognizes an advisory group that includes advocates, the district, and the teachers union to suggest further legislation.

Philadelphia’s Public Health and Human Services Committee passed an ordinance Friday that creates new regulations for the sales and marketing of certain prescription drugs in the city.

Philadelphia has become the epicenter of the opioid crisis, with over 1,200 people dying in the city from drug overdoses in 2017 alone. In response, the city has begun to sue drug manufacturers on their misleading marketing and overprescribing practices.